DETROIT — Michigan Democrats vote Tuesday in a closely watched Senate primary between moderate U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens and progressive favorite Abdul El-Sayed, with the winner heading to a November contest critical to the party's hopes of reclaiming the Senate majority.

The nominee will face former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, who is running unopposed after narrowly losing a Senate race in 2024.

Democrats endured a bitter and expensive campaign that became a proxy battle between the party’s establishment and progressive wings. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer backed Stevens, while Sen. Bernie Sanders and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez supported El-Sayed.

Stevens is a four-term congresswoman from the outskirts of Detroit who has focused on manufacturing and the economy in a campaign she called a “love letter to Michigan.”

Asked Sunday about the race being a battle for two Democratic visions, Stevens replied: “It's a Michigan moment for me, baby.”

Stevens benefited from tens of millions of dollars in outside spending, including the largest investment in a race ever from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which supports pro-Israel candidates.

El-Sayed, a former Wayne County health director, is seeking a political comeback after losing the 2018 gubernatorial primary to now-Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. He campaigned on Medicare for All, campaign finance reform and ending military aid to Israel.

“We’re in a situation right now where the rich keep getting hyper-rich on the backs of figuring out how to monetize everyday people,” El-Sayed told AP during a Sunday afternoon march, as his supporters chanted behind him, “Money out of politics! Money in your pockets!”

Voters are also choosing nominees in competitive House races and to replace Whitmer, who is barred by term limits from seeking reelection. The contentious Republican gubernatorial primary features U.S. Rep. John James, who is backed by President Donald Trump, and businessman Perry Johnson, who has spent millions of his personal fortune to try to clinch the nomination. For Democrats, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is the overwhelming favorite over Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson.

Michigan is a must-win Senate race for Democrats

Democratic Sen. Gary Peters’ retirement announcement in January 2025 stunned the party and set off a scramble to replace him. Hopes for a relatively orderly primary disappeared when Stevens, El-Sayed and state Sen. Mallory McMorrow all entered the race.

More than a year later the contest has become one of the nation’s most contentious Senate primaries. McMorrow suspended her campaign in July, leaving Stevens and El-Sayed to battle for the nomination.

Stevens won election to Congress in 2018 after serving as chief of staff to President Barack Obama’s auto task force, which helped oversee the federal rescue of General Motors and Chrysler. Her campaign and allied groups have repeatedly highlighted that experience, including advertisements featuring Obama calling her “a critical part of my team.”

Backed by Sanders from the outset, El-Sayed cast himself as the anti-establishment candidate and aimed to join the ranks of newcomers winning races this year across the country — sometimes unseating incumbents backed by party leaders, in places like New York and Denver.

He argued that Democrats need to reject corporate influence and embrace a more progressive agenda. In addition to Medicare for All, his campaign centered on lowering prescription drug costs and banning corporate PAC money.

On Sunday, Markita Williams sat in the pews of First Baptist Institutional Church as El-Sayed addressed the congregation. Afterward, she said she had already planned to vote for him.

“I want to see a change,” Williams said. “For everyday people, not just the rich. The everyday people that help run this country.”

Outside influences flood the zone

National groups poured unprecedented sums into the race, making it one of the country’s biggest tests of outside spending.

Groups backing Stevens spent more than $50 million, led by more than $30 million from AIPAC and its affiliates.

The spending thrust Israel policy into the center of the race even though the ads never mentioned it. While El-Sayed called for ending military aid to Israel, Stevens maintained strong support for the relationship.

Israel has become a contentious issue within the Democratic Party amid a war in Gaza that killed more than 73,000 Palestinians in its retaliatory offensive after about 1,200 people were killed and 251 hostages were taken in attacks by the militant group Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023.

The race also became a proxy fight over the direction of the party. In addition to Schumer, more establishment-aligned senators, such as Peters, backed Stevens, while progressives such as Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Elizabeth Warren lined up behind El-Sayed.

Voters also will decide governor and U.S. House matchups

Trump traveled to Michigan on July 27 and gave a speech at a General Motors plant, at one point calling the gubernatorial hopeful James and several other Republican politicians, including Rogers, onstage. James, a second-term congressman, previously ran twice unsuccessfully for Senate.

The primary turned uglier than Republicans hoped, with Johnson spending big sums of money on ads targeting James. Johnson ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2022 and also launched a longshot presidential bid in 2024.

In the Democratic gubernatorial primary, much of the party including lawmakers and outside groups, such as the United Autoworkers union, coalesced behind Benson.

Meanwhile there are several competitive House races this year that will help decide whether Republicans hold their slim majority or Democrats reclaim the chamber.

In the 4th District, which stretches along Lake Michigan, Democratic state Sen. Sean McCann and election newcomer Diop Harris II are vying to become the nominee to try to oust GOP Rep. Bill Huizenga.

In the 7th District, former U.S. Ambassador Bridget Brink, community organizer William Lawrence and former Navy Seal Matt Maasdam are seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge Republican Rep. Tom Barrett in the seat representing the Lansing area.

James' decision to run for governor left open his seat in the 10th District, which includes a portion of Oakland County and stretches across conservative communities in Macomb County. In the GOP primary, Trump endorsed Michael Bouchard against Steffan Demetropoulos and Justin Kirk. The Democratic primary features former state House Rep. Tim Greimel, former prosecutor Christina Hines and former Commerce Department attorney Eric Chung.

And in a heavily Democratic district representing Detroit, Rep. Shri Thanedar looks to fend off a primary challenge from state Rep. Donavan McKinney, who argued that the city should once again have a Black representative in Congress. After Thanedar won election in 2022, Detroit had no Black representation in Congress for the first time since the early 1950s

Pickleball Palooza Plus More is coming to Toledo Pickle Co. on Saturday, National Pickleball Day.

The event will feature a pickleball tournament and a range of other activities including cold plunges, massage therapy, and tanning. A selection of sports gear will be available for purchase.

There will also be opportunities for pickleball enthusiasts to connect with pickleball associations, golf clubs, and fitness centers. 

The expo runs from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 1030 Water St.

Register at picklepaloozaplus.com.

The last of three men charged with a botched robbery last year that ended with one of the robbers fatally shot has pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and is poised to get the same prison sentence as the others.

Pete Wheatley, Jr., 20, of the 1900 block of Chase Street, entered guilty pleas Monday in Lucas County Common Pleas Court to first-degree involuntary manslaughter, second-degree robbery, and third-degree grand theft of a firearm.

Wheatley’s plea bargain with prosecutors includes a base sentence of 24 years in prison. Judge Eric Allen Marks scheduled formal sentencing for Aug. 24 to give the victim’s family time to prepare statements for the court.

Darius Washington, 17, was shot multiple times by a man from whom Wheatley, Gage Bearden, and Robert Dorr, Jr., tried to steal a gun during a June 22, 2025, party at a house in the 5800 block of Dixon Road.

Dorr, 25, who was young Washington’s uncle, and Bearden, 20, previously entered Alford pleas to involuntary manslaughter and robbery. Dorr also pleaded to tampering with evidence, while Bearden pleaded to grand theft of a firearm.

In each case, Judge Eric Allen Parks sentenced them to the agreed-upon 24 years, which could be extended by up to five years if they misbehave in prison.

“My intention is to impose the agreed-upon sentence” for Wheatley as well, the judge said Monday.

The earlier defendants’ Alford pleas denied guilt but conceded sufficient evidence for conviction to be likely on the lesser charges, while they avoided harsher penalties if convicted at trial for murder in the case.

Three men were shot and injured in the central city, police said.

Just after 2:20 a.m. Saturday, police responded to the 1500 block of Cone Street to investigate a ShotSpotter alert.

They found two men, a 54-year-old and a 49-year-old, with gunshot wounds. The pair told police they were sitting at a picnic table in the front yard of a home in the 1500 block of Cone when they heard gunfire and realized they both had been shot. 

The men were taken to ProMedica Toledo Hospital.

While police were investigating the shooting, a 39-year-old man arrived at Toledo Hospital seeking treatment for a gunshot wound. He told police he was riding his bike on Cone at the time of the shooting.

He said he too heard gunshots and then found he had been shot in his lower left leg.  

From age 6, Martin Ramirez picked tomatoes and cucumbers in northwest Ohio alongside his mother and five siblings, often seeing their employer undercount the harvested amount to pay them less.

“We would, say, fill 800 hampers in a day,” he said. “And the count indeed came up to 800, and pretty soon the farmer would come along and say, ‘Oh, I see 750. You guys are good.’”

Mr. Ramirez has since made it his business to help ensure fair treatment of workers.

After retiring a few years ago as president of the Toledo Area Local 170 of the American Postal Workers Union, he spent the past 20 months helping fellow Northwest Ohio Worker Center volunteers launch the center operations.

Its kickoff event, Wage Theft Clinic, was held Monday at Mott Branch Library.

The clinic aimed to provide free assistance to workers who believe they may be the victims of wage theft, organizers said. A few people who attended the 90-minute event at its outset refused comment, citing privacy concerns.

Northwest Ohio Worker Center is a new project of Toledo Area Jobs with Justice, a “grassroots, volunteer organization committed to worker justice” and a chartered member of the National Jobs with Justice Network and National Interfaith Worker Justice Coalition, according to its website.

“Workers must know their rights and have information to enforce them,” Mr. Ramirez said. “I think this [clinic] is a start, like when you plant a seed with good intention, and you don’t know how big a tree you’ll get. But I firmly believe that this is just the first seed that we’re going to plant.”

Sean Nestor, a local Jobs with Justice organizer, said common instances of wage theft that workers may not be aware of include:

● Requiring work before punching in or after punching out.

● Paying less than minimum wage.

● Keeping shares of worker tips.

● Refusing to pay more for overtime work.

● Making unfair deductions from a check.

● Misclassifying as an independent contractor.

● Withholding a final paycheck.

● Not paying on time.

● Not paying at all.

Along with Mr. Ramirez, eight volunteers were on hand Monday to offer help.

“They are sitting down and listening to people's stories about situations people are facing in the workplace, and determine if they’re victims of wage theft,” Mr. Nestor said. “While we are not able to give them legal advice, we can listen intently, offer personal support, and then also give them information about their options regarding what to do with wage theft.”

Those options, he said, include talking to the boss, seeking help from government agencies such as the Ohio Department of Commerce Bureau of Wage and Hour Administration, or going to Toledo Small Claims Court, depending on the situation.

Mr. Nestor also encourages workers to keep records of all communication between them and their employers concerning wages.

“That’s going to be very important,” he said. “Text communications, emails, any kind of documentation, schedules, time clocked, punch cards, and contracts, as well as employee handbooks, can be really essential pieces of information.”

Dan Morey, Toledo commissioner of wage and hour compliance, said Toledo Municipal Code Section 545.22, defines and penalizes wage theft, establishing first-degree misdemeanor charges, fines from $250 to $1,000 per violation, and potential jail time. 

He suggested Toledo workers who suspect they are victims of such theft seek help from his department and said they would not be charged for it because they pay city taxes. 

The section went into effect in 2017 and has been actively enforced since 2024 on the orders of Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz, Mr. Morey said.

“Wage theft is a big common problem in the country,” Mr. Morey said. “I think more people experience it than those who actually realize that they do.”

Employers steal about $15 billion from workers every year through minimum wage violations alone, according to the Economic Policy Institute, with the total across all forms of wage theft estimated at $50 billion annually by some estimates, event organizers said.

Mr. Nestor said income inequality has skyrocketed over the past few years.

“Working people everywhere are not getting fair treatment, and it doesn’t matter what their politics are,” he said. “We believe in uniting all of them to try to come together and get a better shake for working people.”

For nearly four years, Nate Saldivar and his wife made monthly payments on a West Toledo house, hoping each one was bringing them closer to a place they could finally call their own.

In March, he crossed the threshold from renter to homeowner.

“It feels great,” Mr. Saldivar said. “It’s nice to know that I’m actually paying money toward something that’s mine and not just paying somebody else to live in a temporary place.”

Mr. Saldivar is one of eight residents who have purchased homes through LadderUp Housing, a Toledo-based organization that helps renters who are not yet able to qualify for a mortgage work toward homeownership.

LadderUp buys and renovates houses, then rents them to residents while they receive financial coaching. Once a resident becomes eligible for traditional mortgage financing, the intention is for that person to purchase the same house from LadderUp.

“The goal is to make renters homeowners,” founder and CEO Tom Voutsos said.

LadderUp has acquired more than 100 homes and properties since its beginnings in 2022. Six residents have become homeowners in 2026, Mr. Voutsos said.

Residents generally enter the program after applying to rent an available LadderUp property. Once they move in, they work with a coaching partner to improve their credit, reduce debt, create a budget, build savings, and learn about the costs and responsibilities of owning a home.

Mr. Saldivar and his wife moved into their LadderUp home in February, 2022. 

The couple worked with a financial adviser to develop a budget. The program also connected them with free assistance to address overdue taxes and complete their tax returns.

“Growing up, I feel like they didn’t stress or teach us a whole lot about budgeting and finances,” Mr. Saldivar said. “I’m 37, and I didn’t even know how this process or any of this went, and now I have a better understanding.”

His wife died about a year before the purchase was complete, leaving him to finish the process on his own.

LadderUp’s work is supported by financial and real estate partners that help move homes through each stage of the program.

Directions Credit Union provides financing that LadderUp uses to purchase houses and pay for renovations. 

John Ustaszewski, Directions’ chief operating officer, said the partnership fits the credit union’s broader focus on housing security, community development, and financial education.

“LadderUp’s model combines the preparation of potential buyers with the rehabilitation of houses they may later own,” Mr. Ustaszewski said.

Louisville Title handles the legal and administrative work for each home purchase. The company manages closings when LadderUp acquires properties and again when residents are ready to buy, ensuring a smooth transition to ownership.

Its work includes title searches, resolving ownership issues, coordinating documents, transferring funds, and issuing owners’ title insurance. As a neutral closing agent, Louisville Title facilitates the process for both LadderUp and its residents.

“We’re not just closing homes,” said Jennifer Burnor, vice president of Louisville Title’s commercial division. “We’re opening doors to long-term financial stability and community prosperity.”

LadderUp now owns properties in Toledo, Akron, and Warren, Ohio, and is working to enter the Pittsburgh market. Participants across its portfolio have experienced an average credit-score increase of more than 75 points, Mr. Voutsos said.

“Homeownership just isn’t as straightforward as it used to be,” the founder said. “You need to have these different on-ramps to homeownership that meet people where they’re at.”

MONROE — Criminal defendants in Monroe County who are indigent do not receive effective legal representation, and a public defender office should be established, according to a report issued Monday by the Sixth Amendment Center. 

“The findings from our study reflect an indigent defense system that lacks effective quality oversight and fiscal accountability of right to counsel services,” the report states.

Among those findings are attorneys with “excessive caseloads” and a lack of effective early representation for defendants who are in custody because of remote arraignments and restricted access to essential information.

“The current system is basically a three-person office that provides oversight for over 20 individual private attorneys who provide representation for more than 3,000 cases each year,” said Aditi Goel, executive director of the center. 

Monroe County officials requested an analysis of the county’s indigent representation from the Boston-based center, a nonprofit that works with state and local governments to evaluate services based on the constitutional right to have effective counsel in criminal cases.

The Sixth Amendment, which grants the right to a speedy trial, also provides for an impartial jury, the right to confront witnesses, to be tried where the crime was committed, for the defendant to know the nature and cause of the accusation, and to have legal representation.

The county’s specific inquiry in its November request to the center was whether its current system worked and whether a county-employed public defender office was warranted.

“I don’t know that I was overly surprised with the findings. Many were anticipated,” said David Vensel, chairman of the Monroe County Board of Commissioners.

Among the report’s other findings:

● Monroe County does not consistently guarantee that attorneys meet state qualification criteria, nor does it effectively assess attorney training needs.

● Attorney performance in the county is impacted by ineffective initial interviews, a lack of ongoing client communication, underutilization of investigators and experts, and minimal actual litigation through motions and trials.

● Out-of-custody, unrepresented defendants are allowed to plead guilty at arraignment without a valid waiver of the right to counsel, and those who are represented by counsel and plead guilty at arraignment are not ensured effective representation.

● The county lacks the fiscal accountability to ensure the efficient use of government funds.

Grants from the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission could establish a new public defender office, the report said. The center recommended a hybrid model using both private attorneys and government-employed lawyers and staff operating under three divisions reporting to an executive director. 

The cost, according to a sample budget the center created, would be $4,187,215, which includes personnel, private attorney compensation, office space, and program overhead.

Earlier this year, commissioners questioned the exorbitant hours some attorneys billed the county. A Plante Moran audit in February found one billed $596,032 for work from January, 2023, through November, 2024. The second-highest-paid attorney received $478,276 between January, 2023, and December, 2024.

“Exorbitant case loads don’t allow for quality representation,” Mr. Vensel said Monday. “Some attorneys reported working 16 and 18-hour days and other troubling information that didn’t make sense.” 

Given the current structure of the county’s indigent defense office, the Sixth Amendment Center’s findings were not surprising, Ms. Goel said. 

“It would be difficult to provide effective counsel, given what the structure is and what the system is,” she said. “Looking at the workload standards, every single one of them exceeds the maximum. One of them is 177 percent over the maximum limit. ...  It’s not the fault of an individual attorney. It’s a systemic and structural issue.” 

Fixing the issues in Monroe County starts with the commissioners she praised for wanting to find out what problems existed. “I can’t stress how important it is that Monroe wanted to take a look at this,” Ms. Goel said.

The commissioners meet Tuesday, and Mr. Vensel said he’ll mention the report in his comments. Because they just received the report Monday, the board won’t have discussion until its Aug. 18 meeting when Ms. Goel will present the Sixth Amendment Center’s findings to them.   

“I do want to emphasize that this isn’t the fault of any one person,” Ms. Goel said. “It’s taking the right step. Learning to identify the issues and hopefully taking the next step to improve the quality and financial oversight of the system.”

Mr. Vensel said he’s looking forward to the presentation later this month.

“If there’s a chance we can provide a better delivery model for the indigent, we should investigate it and take a look at it,” the commissioner said.

Toledo officials on Monday dedicated a new public park that transforms a former confined disposal facility into a restored riverfront destination along the Maumee River.

The city-owned property at 3100 N. Summit St. had once accepted material dredged from the Maumee River shipping channel in 1972 and 1973.

“In 2021, the dredging ended, and was transitioning into an official state of Ohio wetland,” Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said. 

Pontiac Preserve is not an active park, the mayor noted, but is a natural setting with a 1-mile gravel walking path around the river, park benches, and a place to launch a canoe and kayak, the mayor said.

“You won’t see ball diamonds or swing sets. It’s not a park in that sense,” the mayor said. “It’s more like a preserve, an opportunity to interact with nature, reflect, and maybe get a little exercise.”

He had driven past the 59-acre green space for years, he said, unaware of its potential.

“I was shocked. It was hiding in plain sight all along,” Mr. Kapszukiewicz said. “It seemed like a beautiful opportunity that seemed to be going to waste. That began my crusade to turn this into a city park.”

The Pontiac Preserve project is the latest phase of the Penn 7 Activation Project, which focused on expanding public access to a restored waterfront area along the lower Maumee River near the mouth of Lake Erie. 

Previous phases of the project included a feasibility study and habitat restoration efforts that improved the ecological health of the area, laying the foundation for future public access.

The city received a $498,000 Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant to complete the improvements needed to open the site as a public park. Federal funding was combined with local capital improvement funds and a $10,000 donation from Cleveland-Cliffs to complete the $750,000 project.

“This project demonstrates what can happen when federal, local, and community partners come together to restore important spaces and create lasting investments for our neighborhoods,” the mayor said.

He thanked U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo) for helping to find financing for the project. 

“None of it would have been possible without the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant that Congresswoman Kaptur brought back from Washington,” he said.

Ms. Kaptur was expected to speak at the event, but she was recuperating in the hospital after a Sunday car accident.

David Zajac, her assistant, spoke on her behalf.

“The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative was tailor-made for projects like this,” Mr. Zajac said. “You’re reclaiming it for the health of the Maumee River, and ultimately our Great Lakes, but also for the neighborhood.

“I can’t think of many projects that would honor the industrial legacy, but also be something for people to enjoy.”

City Council President Vanice Williams, whose 4th district encompasses the preserve, said the neighborhood “deserves this.”

“If you come down Summit Street going north, you see Summit Street being revitalized. Of course, you see all these industrial buildings, but on the other side, there’s a neighborhood,” Ms. Williams said. 

“Parks are a place to refresh, replenish, and enjoy what God has created,” she added.

The project includes the installation of a park entrance drive, a permeable paver parking lot supporting green stormwater infrastructure, a fully accessible 1-mile walking trail, two overlook decks along the Maumee River, and interpretive signage highlighting the history and natural features of the site.

“Pontiac Preserve provides a unique opportunity for residents to access the Maumee River shoreline,” said Joe Fausnaugh, the city’s director of public service. “It is a great example of how Great Lakes Restoration Initiative funding can improve the natural environment while also improving the quality of life for Toledo residents.

“The river is our city’s greatest asset, and projects like Pontiac Preserve help ensure it remains an asset for future generations.”

U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo) and her campaign manager continued to recover on Monday after an auto accident.

A statement posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, says the congressman and her staff express “deep gratitude for the outpouring of affection and concern from people throughout Ohio, across the country, and around the globe.”

“Marcy is truly humbled by so many kindnesses,” the statement reads. “She looks forward to resuming her schedule just as soon as healing allows.”

Her campaign manager, Kegan Zimmermann, was released from Mercy Health St. Vincent Medical Center on Sunday, and Ms. Kaptur was still hospitalized Monday afternoon. The extent of their injuries remains unclear. 

Ms. Kaptur, 80, and Mr. Zimmermann, 26, were driving north on North Detroit Avenue in a 2022 black Ford Bronco when a 2019 silver Nissan Altima driving south on Detroit lost control and started to skid. The driver of the Altima crossed the center line and struck the Bronco that Mr. Zimmermann was driving. Ms. Kaptur was in the front passenger seat.

The crash took place just before 11 a.m. Sunday at Detroit and Central avenues. Ms. Kaptur was on her way to a church service, according to her office.

The driver of the Altima fled the scene. The driver is believed to be at fault and is still at large, Officer Prince Flores, a Toledo Police Department spokesman, said Monday afternoon.

The suspect is believed to be a male with potential injuries, Officer Flores said.

Ms. Kaptur and Mr. Zimmermann were rushed to St. Vincent Medical Center with injuries that aren’t considered life-threatening.

Both Mr. Zimmermann and Ms. Kaptur were wearing seatbelts, according to the crash report. Neither was ejected from nor trapped in the vehicle; however, both the front and side airbags were deployed, according to the report.

The report states it was raining outside at the time of the accident, contributing to wet road conditions.

Toledo Police Chief Michael Troendle said the investigation will continue until the other driver is caught. He said that individual faces charges for causing the accident and fleeing the scene, but the charges could be upgraded.

Officer Flores encouraged neighbors to check their cameras and come forward with any information they may have to catch the suspect.

“If anybody in that area can check their cameras, or if they’ve seen or heard anything, just give a call to Crime Stoppers,” he said. “And they can do that anonymously, just so we can try to get some further information on it.”

Chief Troendle said the department is investigating multiple leads. Anyone with information can call the Crime Stopper program at 419-255-1111.

Ms. Kaptur was expected to be at the dedication of Pontiac Preserve, a new public park in the city of Toledo, on Monday; however, due to the accident she was not present for the ceremony.

At the ceremony, Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said the congressman was doing well despite a “few scrapes, bumps, and bruises.”

“She’s up and texting, phone calling,” he said. “My guess is, in a couple of days, we’ll see her being the Marcy Kaptur we’ve known and loved all these years. I want to wish her well.”

David Zavac, the regional outreach director and community development coordinator for Ms. Kaptur’s office, represented the congressman at Monday’s dedication ceremony.

“She’s OK,” Mr. Zavac said. “I think we’ll hear from her soon. As the mayor alluded to, she’s texting, calling, and still handing out marching orders. She’ll be back before we know it.”

Blade staff writer Kelly Kaczala contributed to this report.

Western Lake Erie’s algal bloom has doubled in size in a week.

The latest National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimate, released Monday, states that the bloom has grown to 200 square miles.

It began forming around July 12.

NOAA reported on July 27 that it was canvassing about 100 square miles of the lake.

The bloom now extends from Monroe to east of Huron, Ohio, “with higher concentrations in Maumee Bay,” the agency said.

NOAA said it is able to approximate size even with clouds obscuring satellite imagery.

Though field sampling continues to show toxin levels remaining low, the agency reiterates that people should keep themselves and their pets away from any blooms, or “scums,” if they come upon them.

COLUMBUS — Ohio voters will be asked this November if the state’s current voter photo ID requirements should be added to the state constitution.

The Ohio Ballot Board met Monday morning to vote on the ballot language and explanation for the proposed constitutional amendment, which will appear as Issue 3 on the November general election ballot.

The ballot language, which was approved by majority vote, will ask whether the state’s constitution should require voters to present an approved form of government-issued photo ID to vote.

Approved forms of government-issued photo ID, under the proposed constitutional amendment, include an unexpired Ohio driver’s license, state identification card, a U.S. passport, or a U.S. military card.

The state already requires in-person voters to present a photo ID because of the passage of House Bill 458 in 2022.

The proposed constitutional amendment, if approved, would still allow exemptions for in-person voters who do not possess photo ID because of religious objections to being photographed. Those with religious exemptions would be allowed to provide an alternative verification of their identity.

Ohio already allows those with religious objections to being photographed to cast a ballot.

The proposed constitutional amendment would also maintain the current rules for voting by mail.

Under the approved ballot language, voters who choose to vote absentee would need to provide an approved form of government-issued photo ID or present a signature and at least one other unique identifier, such as the last four digits of the voter’s Social Security number. 

A yes vote on Issue 3 would enshrine the proposed amendment into the state constitution, a no vote would disapprove of cementing it.

The ballot language passed in a vote of 4-1 with only state Rep. Terrence Upchurch (D., Cleveland), voting against it. The explanation passed unanimously.

If approved, the proposed amendment won’t change much, but it does make it harder to modify or repeal the voter photo ID laws in the future.

During the meeting, Mr. Upchurch made a motion to amend the ballot language to add the word “only” in front of the acceptable forms of government-issued photo IDs.

The reason, Mr. Upchurch said, was to clarify that the list cannot be changed or added without amending the state constitution again.

It was rejected in a majority vote, with all of the Republicans on the board voting against it.

Secretary of State Frank LaRose, a Republican, said it was “superfluous” to add the word “only” before the list of acceptable forms of photo ID and said he feared it would create confusion.

“I think that this list that’s here in this constitutional language is exhaustive,” Mr. LaRose said.

State Sen. Theresa Gavarone (R., Bowling Green) said the language was not a complete limit on the forms of photo ID allowed.

“Nothing in this [amendment] prohibits the General Assembly from adding additional forms of identification. ... This creates a floor,” Ms. Gavarone said.

The legislature can not change the state constitution on its own. Any proposed change requires voter approval in a statewide election.

Mr. LaRose said if additional forms of photo ID were eventually added in the future, it would likely be tested in front of a judge.

After Mr. Upchurch’s motion failed, state Sen. Bill DeMora (D., Columbus) called the ballot language “short-sighted” because it does not account for future forms of photo ID, he said. He added that the proposed amendment is unnecessary because it is already the law in Ohio.

“It is not thinking about what’s going to happen in five or 10 years,” Mr. DeMora said. “There’s also just no purpose for it.”

Mr. DeMora, who has been a vocal opponent of the proposed amendment, still voted in favor of the ballot language because the Republican-controlled board approved his amendments to the language and the explanation.

“It was going to pass anyhow, and I thought I’d make it better by adding the amendments,” he said. “I wanted to make sure that the ballot language said ‘unexpired’ IDs … and in the explanation, I wanted to have more clarification about that stuff as well.”

Mr. DeMora is one of the lawmakers tasked with writing the official argument against Issue 3. He is joined by Mr. Upchurch and state Rep. Desiree Tims (D., Dayton).

Ms. Gavarone, state Sen. Jane Timken (R., Jackson Township), and state Reps. Adam Bird (R., New Richmond) and Heidi Workman (R., Rootstown) are preparing the official argument in favor of Issue 3.

Both arguments must be submitted to the secretary of state’s office by Aug. 17.

Four co-chairmen of the House Great Lakes Task Force, including U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo), have told the Trump Administration it is imperative that work resume on the invasive carp barrier near Chicago as soon as possible.

“There is a rapidly closing window to stop the further spread of these harmful invasive species before they inflict irreparable damage on the Great Lakes,” according to a letter signed by Ms. Kaptur and U.S. Reps. Debbie Dingell (D., Mich.), David Joyce (R., Mentor, Ohio), and Bill Huizenga (R., Mich.).

The letter was sent to the Office of Management and Budget Director Russell T. Vought and Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works) Adam R. Telle.

The letter calls for immediate resumption of the Brandon Road Interbasin Project near Joliet, Ill., a multibillion-dollar effort to keep invasive carp from reaching Lake Michigan. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has issued a work-stoppage order, but declines to say why.

WASHINGTON — Michigan voters will decide a competitive Democratic U.S. Senate primary Tuesday in a contest that not only has implications for control of the chamber next year but will also test the growing clout of the party’s progressive wing as well as that of a powerful pro-Israel organization.

The state is one of the nation’s most competitive electoral battlegrounds, as the last three presidential elections firmly established. In 2026, in addition to the pivotal U.S. Senate contest, Michigan will host fiercely contested races for governor, U.S. House, and the state Legislature.

Progressives scored high-profile victories in the past year with the election of democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani as New York City’s mayor and several U.S. House primaries where progressive candidates defeated longtime Democratic incumbents. While those contests all were waged on safe, heavily Democratic turf, the race to replace Democratic U.S. Sen. Gary Peters is expected to be a marquee matchup in the November general election, raising the stakes of Tuesday’s Democratic primary between U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens and former Detroit public health official Abdul El-Sayed.

Stevens has endorsements from much of the state’s Democratic establishment, including Peters, term-limited Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, former U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow and state Attorney General Dana Nessel. Her notable out-of-state backers include Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and South Carolina U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, who recently campaigned with Stevens in heavily Democratic Detroit.

El-Sayed has endorsements from prominent progressive leaders including U.S. Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, and U.S. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan.

While El-Sayed has outraised Stevens in the campaign overall, including more than doubling her fundraising haul in the first two weeks of July, the two were on roughly even footing in terms of available cash heading into the final stretch of the primary season. But Stevens has benefitted from heavy spending by outside groups, including a committee affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

The group, the United Democracy Project, has spent more than $30 million since June in support of Stevens and against El-Sayed, according to Federal Election Commission records. AIPAC’s political operation has been active in supporting pro-Israel candidates in primaries this year, but its sizable investment in the Michigan U.S. Senate primary marks a dramatic escalation in the group’s willingness to engage in a single contest.

State Sen. Mallory McMorrow’s July withdrawal from the primary has not added much clarity to the race. She has not endorsed either remaining candidate, and both campaigns are vying for her former supporters. Her name remains on the ballot.

The winner will face former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, who is unopposed for the Republican nomination. Rogers ran for the state’s other U.S. Senate seat in 2024 but narrowly lost to Democrat Elissa Slotkin.

Wayne County, home to Detroit, is the state’s most populous county and is a major source of votes in statewide Democratic primaries. Oakland and Macomb counties in the Detroit suburbs and Grand Rapids-based Kent County are key state battlegrounds in both primaries and general elections. Washtenaw County, home of the college town of Ann Arbor where El-Sayed has taught, is heavily Democratic and wields more influence in Democratic primaries than in Republican ones.

In previous establishment-vs.-progressive statewide Democratic primaries, the progressive candidates tend to post their strongest numbers in Washtenaw and Kent counties, regardless of the statewide outcome. Sanders carried both counties decisively in his narrow win over Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential primary and placed a close second in both in his 17-point primary loss to Joe Biden in 2020.

Wayne County has the state’s highest share of Black residents, at about 37 percent, according to the U.S. Census. About 8 percent of Wayne County residents are of Arabic, Middle Eastern or North African descent, the highest share of any county in the nation.

In the 2016 and 2020 Democratic presidential primaries, Wayne delivered for the establishment candidates. Sanders carried almost every county in 2016, but Clinton still almost won based largely on the strength of her showing in Wayne County.

In the race for governor, Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Republican U.S. Rep. John James are the front-runners in their primaries. Benson faces Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson, while James’ lone remaining opponent is wealthy businessman and former 2024 presidential candidate Perry Johnson.

A handful of Michigan congressional districts could decide control of the U.S. House. Among the most competitive is the 7th District which includes Lansing, the state capital. The three-way Democratic primary features former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink, community organizer William Lawrence and former Navy SEAL Matt Maasdam. The winner will face freshman Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett.

Competitive primaries are also underway to replace James in the 10th District and Stevens in the 11th District.

In the heavily Democratic 13th District anchored by Detroit, Shri Thanedar faces a tough primary challenge from state Rep. Donavan McKinney, who’s won endorsements from El-Sayed, Sanders, Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist, Tlaib in the neighboring 12th Congressional District and several other of Thanedar’s progressive U.S. House colleagues.

Key facts about the election:

• When do polls close?

Polls close at 8 p.m. local time, which is 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. ET. Polls in most of the state are in the Eastern time zone and close at 8 p.m., but some polls in the Upper Peninsula along the Wisconsin border are in Central time and close at 9 p.m.

• Who gets to vote?

Any eligible voter may participate in any party’s primary. Michigan does not register voters by party.

• How many voters are there?

As of July 6, there were about 8.3 million registered voters in Michigan.

• How many people actually vote?

About 934,000 Democratic primary votes and about 880,000 Republican primary votes were cast in the 2024 U.S. Senate primaries.

• How much of the vote is cast early or by absentee ballot?

About 63 percent of the vote in the 2024 state primary was cast early in-person or by mail. Michigan adopted early voting for statewide and federal races after voters approved a 2022 ballot measure expanding voting opportunities.

As of Friday, more than 1 million ballots had already been cast in Tuesday’s election.

• When are early and absentee votes released?

Michigan counties vary in terms of when and how they release vote results, but the first vote updates of the night across the state tend to be a mix of results from mail, early in-person and in-person Election Day voting. The most populous counties of Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Kent, Genesee, and Washtenaw counties tend to release relatively few results from any vote type in the their first vote updates.

• How long does vote-counting usually take?

In the 2024 Democratic U.S. Senate primary, the AP first reported results at 8:03 p.m., or three minutes after polls closed in most of the state. The vote count surpassed the halfway mark at 12:03 a.m. By 4:12 a.m., about 95 percent of the vote had been counted.

• How do recounts work?

Recounts in Michigan are automatic in statewide races if the vote margin is 0.1 percent or less of the total votes cast. There is no automatic recount in state legislative primaries. Under the state’s 2024 recount law, candidates may request and pay for a recount if they have a “good-faith belief” that there’s a “reasonable chance” they would have won the contest if not for a vote-counting error. The AP may declare a winner in a race that is subject to a recount if it can determine the lead is too large for a recount or legal challenge to change the outcome.

The mother of a woman who was fatally shot by her boyfriend in October disputed after his sentencing Monday that the shooting was accidental.

“She was leaving when he shot her. It was not an accident,” Mary Garza said after Jeffrey Townsend, Jr., received a negotiated 30-year prison term for the Oct. 19 shooting of Jacquelin Garza, 36, as she sat in a car outside his home.

Defense lawyer Jeff Crowther said when Townsend pleaded guilty Thursday to involuntary manslaughter that the gun accidentally fired when Townsend leaned toward the car to knock on the window

“This wasn’t an intentional act,” Townsend asserted during a brief statement at the sentencing hearing in Lucas County Common Pleas Court, “and I do send my sincerest apologies to the family. I did love her dearly, and we all lost somebody we all loved dearly.”

But Mrs. Garza said outside the courtroom the shooting arose from a domestic dispute.

“It’s a no-win situation,” she said of Townsend’s sentencing. “We lost regardless of the outcome, because she’s no longer here. She was part of a big family that loved her and cared about her.”

Judge Stacy Cook made no remarks about the case before pronouncing Townsend’s sentence, which included a maximum 11 years for first-degree involuntary manslaughter plus 10 years for first-degree improperly discharging a firearm, both with three-year gun specifications. He also got three years for third-degree cocaine trafficking.

Patricia Ward, the victim’s sister, said her family was there in part to ask that Townsend serve the full 30 years.

Judge Cook said the plea agreement includes denial of eligibility for judicial early release, but that it will be up to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections to decide if he gets any good-behavior credit or, conversely, if any misbehavior in prison warrants up to 5½ years more as provided by Ohio law.

Townsend, now 36, of the 1700 block of Talbot Street, was indicted for numerous drug charges along with alternative counts of murder. According to Mr. Crowther, he was packing drugs for shipment elsewhere when the shooting occurred.

Except for the cocaine trafficking count, the drug charges were dismissed as part of the plea bargain. Police seized baggies containing 11.4 grams of powder cocaine and 4.2 grams of crack from his house after the shooting.

Ms. Garza, seated in the car’s driver’s seat, was shot once in the torso and died about 90 minutes later at ProMedica Toledo Hospital.

The 9 mm Beretta pistol Townsend carried is to be destroyed.

The Lucas County Coroner’s Office is seeking family members of a 78-year-old woman.

Diane Cole died Saturday in her home in the 2600 block of Ivy Place. 

Anyone with information that will help the coroner locate Ms. Cole’s relatives can call the office at 419-213-3900.

DEFIANCE  — The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Parks and Watercraft will host a two‑day Walk Through History event at Independence Dam State Park. 

The free event will feature nearly 80 historical reenactors and educators representing periods from 1776 to the present. Participants can also visit history camps, watch historical demonstrations, and stop by food trucks.

The walk on Saturday is from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. On Sunday, it will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

A wreath‑laying ceremony at the Fort Starvation War of 1812 memorial will take place at noon Saturday. The Plymouth Fife and Drum Corps will lead War of 1812 reenactors to the memorial and the Daughters of 1812 Kentucky Chapter will offer remarks.

The ceremony will also include a bugler tribute, the National Anthem performed by local Scouting America troops, and a scheduled flyover by a World War I-era biplane, if weather permits, the department said. 

The driver believed to be at fault in a crash Sunday morning that sent U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo) to the hospital is still at large, Toledo Police Officer Prince Flores said Monday afternoon.

Ms. Kaptur was taken to Mercy Health St. Vincent Medical Center after the car she was a passenger in was struck by another vehicle, a spokesman for the congressman said. She is in stable condition, police said.

Chief Troendle said investigators believe weather was a factor, but the investigation remains in its early stages. Toledo experienced heavy rain showers in the hours leading up to the accident, according to the National Weather Service.

“I had a chance to speak with Representative Marcy Kaptur today, and we’re glad to hear she’s doing well. Our thoughts remain with her and Mr. Zimmermann as they recover,” Chief Troendle said. “I appreciate the work our investigators have put in today, as well as the cooperation we’ve received from members of the community. We’re committed to identifying the person responsible and ensuring they are held accountable.”

Ms. Kaptur, 80, and her campaign manager, Kegan Zimmermann, 26, were driving north on Detroit Avenue in a black Ford Bronco when a silver sedan driving south on Detroit struck them, according to a police report. The driver of the sedan fled from the scene and remains at large.

Chief Troendle said the department was still working out the details of how the accident occurred.

“Our accident reconstructionists are on the scene, and they’re doing all the measurements and all the work that goes into trying to determine exactly what happened, what caused the accident, and the events of the accident,” he said.

The police chief said the man who fled is believed to be at fault but declined to give a full description of the subject.

“There are leads, but at this point, we’re not releasing that kind of information on the leads because of the investigation,” he said.

A statement from Ms. Kaptur’s office said the congressman was “active, alert, and being treated for non-life threatening injuries” on Sunday afternoon.

Mr. Zimmermann, the driver of the car Ms. Kaptur was in, was also injured but is in stable condition, police said.

Police said the crash took place just before 11 a.m. at Detroit and Central avenues.

Ms. Kaptur was on her way to a church service, according to her office.

“We look forward to additional information from Toledo Police as they investigate the accident,” a spokesman said. “Congresswoman Kaptur is thankful for the quick actions of first responders from Toledo Police and Fire Departments who arrived promptly on scene, and the medical professionals helping to take care of those involved in the crash.”

She also expressed “deep gratitude to the hundreds of constituents who have reached out” and said she “looks forward to returning to a full schedule soon.”

The House of Representatives is not in session, with most members using the August recess as an opportunity to campaign and spend time in their districts.

Witness Morgan Valley said she called 911 after hearing the accident. When she came out of her home, she saw paramedics take a woman from a car, she said.

Other witnesses also said they heard but did not see the crash.

The Bronco, its airbags deployed and a tire flattened, rested on the sidewalk along Detroit Avenue. The sedan, its front end crushed, faced the wrong way in the roadway.

What appeared to be an engine lay on the sidewalk across the street.

Police on the scene said the sedan was a stolen car, but Chief Troendle said that was unconfirmed as of Sunday evening.

Ms. Valley said she saw a man run from a vehicle and gave police a description.

Ms. Kaptur has represented Ohio’s 9th Congressional District since 1983. She became the longest-serving woman in congressional history in 2023.

She is running for re-election in one of the most competitive House races of the 2026 election cycle. The Cook Political Report has rated the race a toss-up.

She is running against former Republican state Rep. Derek Merrin, whom she faced in 2024 and narrowly defeated by less than 1 percentage point.

“I’m saddened to learn of the accident Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur was involved in,” Mr. Merrin said. “Please join me in praying for her speedy recovery and all those injured in the crash.”

U.S. Sen. Jon Husted (R., Ohio) said he was “praying for a quick and full recovery” of the congressman.

“We hope the person responsible for this reckless act is apprehended quickly and held accountable,” the senator said.

Schuyler Beckwith, the chairman of the Lucas County Democratic Party, was traveling Sunday afternoon but said she was informed of the accident involving Ms. Kaptur. Ms. Beckwith said she did not have additional information regarding the accident beyond what has already been confirmed but was hoping for a “speedy recovery.”

“I hope she is OK,” Ms. Beckwith said. “I am glad she is being well taken care of at the hospital.”

Chief Troendle said the investigation will remain ongoing until the suspect is caught. He said the suspect faces charges for causing the accident and fleeing the scene, but additional charges could be added.

“There is always the possibility for upgraded charges because of injuries to the driver and passenger in the other vehicle,” he said. “So once all of the injuries are determined, then it will lead us in the direction of our charges.”

Chief Troendle declined to comment on the extent of Ms. Kaptur’s and Mr. Zimmermann’s injuries.

Blade staff writer Ryne Hisada contributed to this report.

The August Friends of the Library book sale will be Thursday through Saturday.

Shoppers will find more than 30,000 gently used books, along with other materials, for sale.

Hours for the event at the group’s 1301 N. Reynolds Rd. facility are 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Books cost $1 or less, with CDs, DVDs, audiobooks on CD and cassette, records, and board games also available. On Saturday, all materials are $8 per bagful.

The Friends of the Library, a nonprofit organization, promotes the ongoing development and use of the Toledo Lucas County Public Library, supports the Summer Concert Series, Authors! events, Summer Read, branch activities, and levy campaigns.

The next Friends book sale is set for Sept. 17-19.

4-H kids and their animals shined on a rainy start to the 2026 Monroe County Fair on Sunday. The fair runs Aug. 2-8 at the Monroe County Fairgrounds in Monroe.

Click the image above and the arrows on the left and right to view the full gallery.

Friends, neighbors, and veterans gathered in a Perrysburg backyard Sunday afternoon to commemorate a historical moment that many Americans might associate with a different date: the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

The Declaration, best remembered for its adoption by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, received its famous signatures at the Pennsylvania State House 29 days later. For the two dozen residents who gathered to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing, the event was an opportunity to honor the veterans who have fought for the freedoms promised in the document.

The afternoon opened with the national anthem performed by local opera singer Jessye Wright. She had not planned on attending the event but stepped in at the last minute after hearing that there was a need for a soloist.

“This whole ceremony remembering 250 years is just incredible,” Ms. Wright said. “It’s an honor to be here.”

Craig Gauger, an adjutant for the American Legion, a veteran’s service association, stood on guard as one of four color guards present. After the speeches, he and the three veterans performed a brief routine with muskets.

He said he was happy to raise awareness for veterans of war.

“Only like 1 percent of Americans are veterans, so a lot of people don’t think of veterans at all,” he said. “Americans live their life, they have a great time, and they think that it’s earned by somebody, but they often don’t think about how.” 

David Miller, the host and organizer of the event, said the commemoration was not intended to be partisan. 

“This isn’t a political thing,” he said. “This has to do with what happened 250 years ago today.” 

Mr. Miller said he was partly inspired to host the gathering by his own family’s history of service. His grandmother had five sons who fought in World War II, including one who landed on D-Day, and an uncle who flew 58 combat missions over Germany, he said.

“We enjoy the freedoms that we sometimes take for granted today because of a group of people who felt those ideals were more important than their personal comfort,” Mr. Miller said. 

Roughly one-fifth of his high school classmates served in Vietnam, he said, noting some never made it back. 

“I think it’s only fitting that we honor those military veterans, both past and present,” Mr. Miller said. “Each of them chose to risk their life for that cause.”